Improvement in keys for piano-fortes



UNITED STATES ULYSSES PRATT, OF DEEP RIVER, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN KEYS FOR PIANO-F ORTES, &c.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 174,000, dated February 22, 1876; applica ion filed November 10, 1575.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ULYSSES PRATT, of Deep River, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keys for Piano-Fortes, Organs, and other Musical Instruments; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms partof this specification.

' This invention relates to the white or long finger-keys of piano-fortes, organs, melodeon s, and other musical instruments.

The invention consists in a side veneer or clothing applied to the wood of the key, the wood being cut out or reduced at the sides to receive said clothing, whereby not only a superior finish is given to the sides of the key, and the latter prevented from being soiled by dust or dirt at its sides, but when said side clothing is made in or of the same piece with a covering or. molding applied to the front of the key, such covering or molding is secured in its place by the side clothing. The invention also consists in or includes various applications of such side clothing and means of securing the same on or to the wood of the y- Figure 1 represents a view in perspective, looking toward the interior and under surface of a side clothing, top veneer, and front molding of the white key of a piano-forte, the whole being made in one piece to cover the wood of thekey, and the side clothing extend- -ing down to or near the bottom edge of the key on the side of the latter not concealed by the black or short key of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same from that side of the key which is recessed to receive the black key and Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 00 .t. Fig. 4 is a like side view of a mainly similar combination of top veneer, side clothing, and front molding, but showing said molding as only partly made of the same piece with the top veneer and side clothing; also showing the latter as extending only partly down the key;

likewise showing a means of more securely attaching the clothing to the wood of the key, which means may also be applied to the other afurther view in perspective when such side clothing and front molding, with upper veneer for the front portion of the key only,,are made in one piece. Fig. 7 is a side view of a key, showing the top veneer as made of different material from the side elothing,with the latter extended under said 'veneer; and Fig. 8, a transverse section of the same on the line 3 y.

Referring, in the first instance, to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, A represents the wood of .a white or long key of a piano-forte, organ, or other musical instrument. B is the side clothing or veneer, arranged to extend throughout the whole length of the exposed portion of the key, and throughout its whole depth or nearly so. This side clothing is represented as made of one and the same piece as the top or face veneer B and front end covering or molding B and the whole fitted over the wood of the key by suitably recessing or reducing the latter to receive it. Such veneer or clothing may be made of any suitable material. The overlapping side clothing,when thus made of one piece with the front end molding or veneer, serves to brace the latter and hold it in place, and when the top or face veneer is of the same piece of material the front-end molding is still further braced.

Fig. 4 represents a similar general construction, but with the side clothing B and front-end molding B as arranged to extend only throughout a portion of the depth of the key, an additional lower front-end moldingpiece or veneer I) being added.

The attachment of the clothing to the top of the key may be made more secure by one or more transverse tongues, d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, said tongues fitting recesses in the wood of the key and receiving a holdingscrew 0 from beneath.

The side clothing B may extend only alittle way baek,or any distance in that direction. In Fig. 5 of the drawing it is shown as extending only throughout the front or wider portion of the key, with the top or face veneer PATENT OFFICE.

.a lining-piece under the top veneer.

B and front end molding B attached; or such side clothing, front-end molding, and, if desired, the top veneer,when made of one and the same piece, may all be restricted to the front or under portion of the key, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, and the top veneer or remaining portion of it be made of a separate piece, and, if desired, of a different material, as, for instance, of animal ivory, while the whole of the veneer or clothing shown in Fig. 6 may be made of vegetable ivory. The invention is not restricted, however, to any particular material or materials, and I will here only mention porcelain and celluloid as being applicable in part or in whole for a covering of a the key.

Figs. 7' and 8 show the top veneer B as made of one material, say ivory, and the side clothing B and frontend molding B as made of another material, and constructed to form This lining-piece may have one or more openings through its top to provide for the better adhesion or securing of the top veneer to the wood of the key.

The front covering B may in any case be made quite plain insteadof in the form of a molding. Fig. 6 illustrates the plain front covering.

I claim 1. The combination of a side clothing applied to the wood of the key, with a separate top or face veneer thereto, substantially as specified.

2. A front-end covering or molding attached to or formed of the same piece with a side clothing applied to the Wood. of the key, subverse ton gues,'d, with the side clothing applied to the wood of the key, substantially as described.

ULYSSES PRATT. Witnesses:

MICHAEL RYAN, FRED. HAYNES. 

